Tag Archives: food

Kung Pao Chicken

One of the biggest cravings I often get (which is nearly impossible to satisfy) is Chinese food.  Once I get the thought of Chinese food in my head, it becomes all I can think about.  The only thing I can do is pick up the phone and call my favorite Chinese food restaurant (which I have programmed into my phone, mind you), place an order, and stuff my face.  There is no getting around it.  And as much as I try to replicate my favorite dishes at home, it’s never as satisfying as the take-out I get.  Maybe it’s the additional oil or MSG that makes it so good (I don’t know and I don’t care) but I’m not ready to give up making healthier, just-as-tasty dishes at home.  This Kung Pao Chicken is probably the closest I have come to making a perfect Chinese dish.

Chicken is sautéed with garlic and onion in sesame oil (a flavor punch) before being bathed in a spicy mixture of water, soy sauce, cornstarch, brown sugar, ginger and red pepper flake.  Once the sauce has thickened slightly, fresh snow peas and red peppers are added until bright in color and perfectly crisp.  Unlike a typical restaurant dish, this version gets its kick from the red pepper flake instead of chili peppers but it doesn’t disappoint (if you like it spicier, add more flake or use chili peppers instead).  Snow peas are a fresh addition but other vegetables, such as broccoli, celery, cabbage or scallions, will work too.  Like the typical restaurant version, peanuts dot this dish adding a salty layer of crunch.  If you’re someone like me who gets that Chinese food craving and want something healthier, try this dish.  It comes together fast and it’s as tasty as ever.

The ingredients:

Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until softened.  Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly.  Add chicken; sauté 3 minutes or until chicken begins to brown.

Combine water, soy sauce, cornstarch, brown sugar, ginger and crushed red pepper, stirring with a whisk until sugar dissolves.  Add water mixture to pan; bring to a boil.

Add bell pepper and snow peas to pan; cook for 2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and sauce thickens.

Sprinkle with nuts.

Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • Ground ginger

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Cooking Light Magazine

Poblano-Turkey Sausage Chili

The beautiful fall weather seemed to be a topic of conversation amongst everyone all weekend.  Blue skies and cooler temperatures seemed to put a pep in my step and I’m quickly becoming obsessed with fall weather, fall clothes and fall food.  I’ve already bought my second bag of apples that I’ve been eating everyday and I’m chomping at the bit to break out pumpkin recipes and scary movies.  Yesterday, with the windows wide open and football on the television, I was excited to make a bit pot of chili.  I typically make chili the first weekend of football season but it had been too warm so when I woke up yesterday to a chilly breeze, I knew it was time to make Poblano-Turkey Sausage Chili.

Turkey sausage is mixed with vibrant spices, diced tomatoes, poblano peppers and two different kinds of beans to make for a thick and spicy chili.  Using sausage instead of regular turkey gives this chili another layer of flavor and if you use hot sausage instead of sweet sausage (like I did), it creates even more intense, firey burst.  If you don’t like so much heat, you might want to stick to regular chili because the poblanos really do pack a punch but the older I get, the spicier the better.  Adding a touch of sour cream or plain yogurt helps to tame the heat a bit and a topping of cilantro gives a fresh element.  I’m obsessed with this chili.  I plan on eating it all week and might just make it again next weekend.

If you like this, also check out Jerk Chicken Chili.

The ingredients:

Add oil to a Dutch oven pan heated over medium-high heat; swirl to coat.  Add onion and garlic; sauté 4 minutes or until browned.

Remove casings from sausage; add sausage to pan.  Stir in chili powder, oregano, cumin, poblanos, and bay leaf; cook 4 minutes or until sausage is browned, stirring to crumble sausage.

Add 1 cup stock, tomatoes, and beans.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Combine flour and the remaining 2 tablespoons stock in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk to form a slurry.  Add slurry to chili, stirring with a whisk.  Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until thickened.

Remove from heat; stir in cilantro and black pepper.  Discard bay leaf.  Serve with sour cream or yogurt, if desired.

Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • Hot sausage

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Cooking Light Magazine

Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic

Sometimes just a couple of little words will send my willpower into a nosedive. After yesterday’s post about how I’ve been eating a lot of chicken and veggies lately, I mentioned how I could eat a “big bowl of pasta” every day. After writing that one sentence, it suddenly became all I could think about. Pasta. Specifically stringy pasta that I could twirl around and around until the cluster of pasta looped around my fork would barely fit into my mouth. This is what I do from time to time and it’s my weakness. So I made this Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic.

Cherry tomatoes and garlic are roasted in the oven until juicy and bursting with sweetness. They are then mixed with whole-wheat spaghetti and olive oil to create a simple, filling and flavorful pasta dish. A topping of parmesan cheese adds a cheesy, salty bite and fresh basil gives that bright freshness that mixes with pasta and tomatoes so perfectly. Any kind of pasta or tomatoes will work here so use whatever your favorite kind is but watch the olive oil – I used about half of what the recipe called for because it didn’t need so much. I’m not kidding when I tell you I twirled and twirled my fork with this spaghetti. I can’t help it, I couldn’t get it in my mouth fast enough. I heart it. Sometimes a big bowl of pasta hits the spot just the way a big fat hug does.

The ingredients:

Cook pasta according to package directions or until al dente. Drain pasta in a colander over a bowl, reserving 6 tablespoons cooking liquid. Return pasta to pan.

While pasta cooks, combine remaining 2 tablespoons oil, tomatoes, and garlic on a jelly-roll pan, tossing to combine. Bake at 450°F for 11 minutes or until tomatoes are lightly browned and begin to burst.

Combine reserved cooking liquid and 2 tablespoons oil in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Boil 4 minutes or until mixture measures 1/3 cup. Add oil mixture to pan with pasta; toss to coat.

Add tomato mixture, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to pasta; toss to coat.

Top with cheese and basil.

Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions:

  • Whole-wheat spaghetti
  • Shredded parmesan

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: Cooking Light Magazine

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